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Take a Bite of the Big Apple
There may be occasional protestations that these days London is the cosmopolitan city to be seen in, or that Paris is culturally superior to any other capital, or that (according to a recent survey) Vancouver is officially the best city in the world. But, when push comes to shove, when you hit NYC, it still feels like you’re in a city that can rival any other for buzz and excitement.
There’s something uniquely thrilling about the Big Apple - the epic, towering architecture, the constant buzz of the streets, the frisson of cinematic glamour that pervades even its grittiest urban environs. It’s the original melting pot; where Little Italy jostles for space with Chinatown, where scruffy bohemia rubs up against opulent, moneyed grandeur. Every neighborhood announces its own distinct personality whilst assuming its place within the chaotic yet harmonious whole of the city.
The thing about visiting New York that can be both exhilarating and exhausting is that you rarely feel able to relax – the relentless pace of the city carries you with it, there’s always a sense that there’s something else to do or see. The best approach may be not to bother with the tourist check-list – there will inevitably always be something you can’t fit in. For those after a few tips on what to see however we’ve come up with a very brief rundown of ideas for your visit to the Big Apple.
The Landmarks
Even for those visitors determinedly opposed to following the tourist trail these are a few sights you won’t want to miss, The Statue of Liberty is one of them. You can get a closer look at this still striking American icon by hopping on the $10 ferry that leaves every 25 minutes from Battery Park or why not get the Staten Island Ferry which provides stunning views of the statue and Lower Manhattan, and it’s free!
A Bit of Culture
With the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim and the Met just for starters visitors to New York are spoilt for choice if they’re after a bit of cultural edification. If you can only fit in a visit to one Art gallery though I’d plump for the recently revamped MoMA, arguably the most comprehensive art collection in the world housed in a space that rivals Tate Modern for dramatic architectural innovation.
Food
New York offers possibly the most diverse range of cuisines of anywhere in the world. Over the course of a few days you could quite easily conduct a culinary world tour, but for those after something quintessentially New York you can’t beat the inimitable Katz’s Deli in the Lower East Side, A Big Apple institution where customers pass through a turnstile and stand in line to be served authentic Jewish deli food like Pastrami on rye and a plate of pickles. Film buffs could even recreate ‘that’ scene from When Harry Met Sally which was filmed here.
Some Fresh Air
However overwhelmingly hyperactive you might find New York you can always retreat to Central Park. Spread over 843 acres of land in the heart of the city, it offers a vast oasis of green slap-bang in the middle of the surrounding bustle. Aside from simply offering a beautiful retreat there’s loads of activities you can try your hand at in Central Park such as ice skating, tennis or volley ball but we’d particularly recommend hiring out a boat and exploring the lake – head for Loeb Boathouse on the east side.
A long weekend in the Big Apple is a highly accessible jaunt, with flights catering for the casual tourist and the business traveler. A good idea is to root around online for the best fares. Websites like Dialaflight.com advertise their best fares to US destinations, with cheap flights to New York top on their agenda.
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